Descriptions of some new Grasses. 149 



Leaves narrow, convolutely setaceous, rigid, glaucous, deeply 

 striate, scabrous ; those on the culm short and pungent. 



Sheaths shorter than the joints, closely embracing the culm, 

 hairy at the throat, striate, glaucous and a little scabrous. 



Stipule finely laciniated and bearded. 



Spike terminal, about three inches long, erect. 



Rachis articulated, filiform, angular, flexuous, naked. 



Spikelets sessile, in an ovate cangeries at each joint of the ra- 

 chis, polygamous, surrounded at the base by a white woolly 

 involucrum one-third the length of the flowers. 



Central spikelet perfect. 



Calyx two-glumed, one-flowered ; glumes obcuneate, her- 

 baceo-coriaceous, equal, deeply two-cleft, carinate, ciliate 

 on the margin, armed between the divisions with five sca- 

 brous bristles, the middle ones of which are nearly as Ions; 

 as the glumes, the others shorter. 



Corolla two-valved ; valves membranaceous, lanceolate ; 

 the inferior a little longer, somewhat hairy on the upper part 

 of the sides and margin, with three indistinct nerves, the 

 middle one of which is produced into a short cusp ; superior 

 valve reverse, a little bifid at the apex, two-nerved. 



Stamens three ; filaments very short ; anthers large, linear, 

 yellow. 



Pistil: Germen ovate ; styles two, distinct, approximated, 

 filiform ; stigmas elongated, simply plumose, yellow. 

 JYectaries collateral, linear, entire. 



Ijateral spikelets antheriferous. 



Calyx unequal, two-glumed; inferior glume a little shorter, 

 lanceolate, acute, entire ; one of the margins involute and 

 armed with a straight scabrous bristle about half way down ; 

 the other margin ciliate ; superior glume mucronate, ciliate 

 on the upper part, three-nerved ; one of the lateral nerves 

 strong and continued beyond the valve into a short point, 

 ciliate. 



